Envelop-sealing machine.



C. N. ALLEN. COMBINED (SO-CART, UMBRELLA SUPPORT, AND CARPET BEATER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s. 1916.

Pafented Nov. 20, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mqmao S. & L. AND ON.

ENVELOP SEAUNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2.1916.

Yatented Nov. 20, 191?.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- I A E- 2, g y w I ATTORNEY.

- S. & L. ANDERSON.

iENVELOP SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION r1950 AUG-1,1916.

WITNESSES:

S. & L. ANDERSON.

ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATIDN FILED AUG- 2| I916.

Patented Nov. 20, 191?.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- WITlV88E8:

I/III/E/VTORJJ Sigurd flndemam wromm.

nnrrnn erm ne Parana? SIGUBD ANDERSON AND LEONARD ANDEBSGN, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

ENVELGP-SEALING IiIACHINE.

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that we, SIGURD ANDERSON and. LEONARD ANDEnsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Sealing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in envelop sealing machines, and among the novel features may be mentioned the provision of means whereby envelops of different sizes can be run through the machine without making adjustments to accommodatesuch sizes; the provision of means for automatically closing and opening a circuit when electricity is employed as a motive force for operating the machine, to the end that economy in the use of current is obtaincd as said current is on only when envelops are passing through the machine; the provision of means for reliably moistening the gummed surfaces of the envelop flaps uniformly, so that said flaps will remain sealed when pressed against the backs of the respective envelops; the provision of simple and eiiicient means for folding the moistened 'flaps toward or against the backs of the respective envelops, and of means for firmly pressing said moistened flaps against the envelops to reliably seal the same.

Other features of the invention will here inafter appear, and in order that said invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ma chine secured to one side of a desk.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine with one side ofthe case removed to disclose the interior mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an irregular vertical section on line I1I11I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is an irregular section on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental vertical section on the plane of line 1TI1II of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on line VII-VII of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a diagram of an electric circuit employed in carrying out the invention.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of a fountain Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1916.

Patented Nov. so, iei v.

Serial No. 112,703.

and rollers for moistening the flaps of envelops.

Referring now to the various parts, 1 designates a suitable case inclosing the mecha nism of our machine. Said case is adapted to be hung from the side of a desk A, or other suitable piece of furniture, preferably having space for holding the envelops to be sealed. By thus hanging the case the machine will not take up valuable space on top of the desk. Said case 1, in the present instance, is divided into compartments 2, 3 and 4t, by vertical partitions 5 and 6. The top of the case has a rightangular entrance slot 7 at its upper portion and a delivery slot 8 at its lower portion for the passage of the envelops. The partition 5 has a vertical slot 9 for the passage of the envelop's B in their travel from the entrance slot 7 to the delivery slot 8. A rightangular guide 10 secured to the top of the case is employed to direct the envelops into the entrance slot 7 and also hold the flaps O away from the backs of the respective envelops, so that said flaps cannot prematurely adhere thereto.

The envelops are advanced through the machine by upperfeed rolls 11 and 12, intermediate feed rolls 13 and 14, and a pair of sealing rolls 15 mounted adjacent the bottom of the case 1. The feed rolls 12 and 1 1 are shorter than their companions to avoid engagement with the rightangular projecting flaps C of the envelops, and are journaled in suitable ball bearings 16 mounted in the partitions 5 and 6. The long rolls '11, 13 and 15 are journaled in suitable ball bearings 17 mounted in the partition 6 and one of the side walls of the case 1. The partition 5 has openings 18 therein for the passage of the long rolls, as disclosed by Figs. 3 and 6.

19 designates a moistening roll arranged at an angle to and adjacent the long feed roll 11 to moisten the gummed side of the flaps C as the envelops are fed downward through the machine. A pair of guide rolls 2O bend the envelop flaps around a portion of the moistening roll 19 to insure distribution of moisture uniformly over the gummed surfaces. W'ater or other suitable liquid is supplied to the periphery of the moistening roll 19 by a distributing roll 21, journaled in the lower ends of a pair of rock-arms 22, extending down into a fountain 23. The arms 22 are mounted upon pivots 24 projecting from a yoke 25, secured Said spring27causes the arms 22 to hold the distributing roll 21 in frictional en- 7 gagement with the moistening roll 19, so

that the latter will drive the former. The

ol 'posite end'of the springi27 is attaehed tothe partition 5.

' "The fountain 23 is supplied from a supply' tank 29 s'ecured to the exterior of the "case lg so that it can be readily filled with water. Said supply tank 29 is on substantially the same level as the fotintain23,

soithat itcann'ot cause the latter to overflow V and possibly fshort circuit an electric ourrent hereinafte'r referred to. 'Water from the supply inn; 29is conducted to the fountain 23 by a pipe 30. lfhe bo ttom ofithe supply tank 29 has a drain 31'normally closed by afc a p'32a Theside of the fountainr23, adjacent the feed roll 11, has a guide 38. to direct the'envelops between said feed, roll ll-iandthe adjacentside of the fountain;

The'inoistening ml 19' is positively, driven by a fixedly-mounted sheave 34:, which in the present instance'is driven by an electric fmetor 35 through the intermed acy of heaves 36 'a-nd 37, an endles's'belt 38, a

s eave 39,, and an endlessbelt Thfe sheave 37, which is considerably larger than thesheave 39,is fixedly-mount ed therewith'upon a shaft 'tihjeurnaled in a pair of bearings 4c2,"depending from the top wallofthecase 1. In its passage from the sheave 39 to the sheave 3e: the belt 40 runs around a pair of idlers e3, loosely moiintedf upon a shaft 4 1 carried by a hanger 45, depending from thetop-wall of tli'efcase 1. The short feed rolls 12 and 1-;L and one of the sea-ling rolls 15' are provided withfixedly-mounted sheaves e6, l7 and d8, r sp ectiyely, drivn by endless belt 49 frem small sheave 50, fixed upon one end ofthe shaft all. Thesheayes 16, 47, and 48 are .of the same diameter to drivetheir respective rollsat the same speed.

The feed rolls 11 and 13, and one of the sealing rolls 15 are driven'by frictional ens gment with their ompan ons or the n.- tervening envelope, andto this end the bearings of said feed rolls 11 and 13 are arranged intw'e longitudinal members 51 pressed towardthe rolls 12 and 1% by centrally. dispo sed springs 52. Members 51, while free to move backward and forward to accorn niodate thickly or thinly filled envelops, are held from lateral movement by the adjacent ends ofthe rolls 11' and 13, and guides 53, which latter aresecured to the partition The "bearings of the yieldablyinounted sealing rolllii is journaled in ne nbersfi: mounted uponpivots 56 carried by arms envelop bearing against'the long side of ieem the sealing rolls 15.

' 59 designates {circuit breakers arranged V adjacent the feed ens; the sealing rollsfand the entrance and discharge slots, as d sclosedby F 1g. 3. 3 One member 60 .ofeach circuit breaker projects across the slot 9 in order to'be raisedfln contact with the companion member 61 by eachenvelop in its assa e through said slot. The members 7 60 and 61 areino'unted on'pivots62 and -63, respectively, secured to the partition 5, and pivotal movement of' the niember fil astestricted'by stopsB-l projecting fro n'the adjacent side of'the partition 5Q As disclosed by the diagram Fig. 9, the membersGl of the ti e brea'lrers are emitted multi- V ple with 'one' another and in series' with the motor circuit65. Hence the motor circuit is clos'ed "by the closing of 'anycircuit breaker, and is interrupted only when all of the circuit breakers areopen. 1 V

In practice 'tl e envelops arefed endwise into the slot 7 one by m te body of each said guide. As each envelopis feddowriward by hand to theup'per fee rolls l1 and 1,2, it closes the uppermost circuit breaker 59 which'in turn closes the circuit 65', thereby starting -the nioto- 35 wlrich i111 turn drlvesall of the, feed rolls, the sealing rolls, and the moistening roll. As the envelop is'jseized by the upperfeedrolls 11- and'l2, it is'carried downward thereb-yto theinter mediate rolls 13 and 14,.w-hich" carry it downward to the sealing rolls 15, which' discharge the envelop through the delivery slot 8. As the envelop passes downward the gummedsurface of its flap isinoistened by 115 the roller 19, then folded against r the'back Y of the envelop by the defiector 58 and later firmly pressed against said back by the sealing rolls '15, which cause said gummeld' surface to firmly adhere to the back of the ,en-

velop and unseen, the same. The eii'cuit breakers 59 rare spaced a comparatively shortdistance apartiso that anen'velop will contactfon'e before passing entirely out ofcontact with the cii'c'uit'breaker above, hence the circuit 65 remains closed until the 'envelop isdischarged through the delivery slot 8, whereupen the'ci'rciiit :65 .is automatically interrupted until closed the in troduction of another envelop through the.

mamas entrance slot 7. If desired a continuous stream ofenvelops may be fed through the machine, but the instant there is an interruption in said stream, the circuit 65' is automatically broken and consequently current is not wasted in running the machine when no envelops are passing therethrough. As the envelops are fed endwise through the machine, the latter will accommodate the smallest to the largest size envelop without requiring adjustment of any of the mechanism.

From the foregoing description it Will be readily understood that we have produced an efficient machine embodying the features of advantage above enumerated and While we have shown and described the preferred form of our invention we reserve the right to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the character described, means for advancing envelops, means for applying moisture to the gummed surfaces of the envelop flaps, means for pressing the gummed surfaces of the moistened flaps against the backs of the respective envelops, a motor for driving the envelop advancing means, a circuit for supplying said motor with current, and an automatic circuit breaker actuated by the envelops passing through the machine to close the motor circuit.

2. In a machine of the character described, means for applying moisture to the gummed surfaces of envelop flaps, means for pressing the moistened gummed surfaces of the flaps against the backs of the respective envelops, a motor for driving said pressing means, a circuit for supplying said motor with current, and an automatic circuit breaker actuated to close the motor circuit by the envelops passing through the machine.

3. In a machine of the character described, means for advancing envelops, means for applying moisture to the gummed surfaces of the envelop flaps, means for sealing the envelops, a motor for driving the moisture applying means, a circuit for supplying said motor with current, and automatic circuit breakers actuated to close the motor circuit by the envelops passing through the machine.

l. In a machine of the character described, means for advancing envelops, means for applying moisture to the gummed surfaces.

of the envelop flaps, means for sealing the envelops, a motor for driving the advancing means, the moisture applying means, and the sealing means, a circuit for supplying said motor with current, and circuit breakers connected in multiple to said circuit and adapted to be actuated to close the motor circuit by the envelops passing through the machine.

5. In an envelop sealing meachine, a guide adapted to hold the flaps from the bodies of the envelops, two feed rolls adjacent said guide to advance'the envelops, one of said rolls being shorter than the other to avoid touching the envelop flaps, a moistening roll adjacent the longer feed roll to moisten the gummed surface of the flaps and assist in advancing the envelops, and a pair of guide rolls to guide the flaps against the surface of said moistening roll.

6. In an envelop sealing machine, a guide at one end of the machine adapted to hold the flaps from the bodies of the envelops, feed rolls adjacent said guide to advance the envelops, one of said rolls being shorter than the other to avoid touching the flaps, a moistening roll adjacent the longer feed roll to moisten the gummed surface of the flaps, means to press the flaps against the surface of said moistening roll, a font, and a distributing roll in said font for applying a liquid to the moistening roll.

7. In an envelop sealing machine, a vertically arranged case, an angular guide and an entrance slot at the top of said case adapted to hold the flaps from the bodies of the envelops as they are fed into the machine, two feed rolls adjacent said guide to advance the envelops, one of said rolls being shorter than the other to avoid touching the envelop flaps, a moistening roll adjacent to and set at an angle to the longer feed roll to moisten the gummed surface of the flaps, means below the moistening roll for folding the flaps against the bodies of the envelops, and sealing rolls for sealing the envelops and discharging them through a slot in the bottom of the machine.

8. In an envelop sealing machine, a guide at the entrance to the machine adapted to hold the flaps from the bodies of the envelops, means for moistening the gummed surface of the flaps, feed rolls to advance the envelops, one of said feed rolls being shorter than the other to avoid touching the envelop flaps, two sealing rolls for sealing the envelops, and a rigid inclined deflector extending from a point adjacent the long feed roll to a point adjacent the contacting surfaces of the sealing rolls and arranged in the path of the flaps to direct them toward the backs of the envelops and between said sealing rolls.

9. In an envelop sealing machine, feed rolls for advancing the envelops, a motor for driving said feed rolls, a circuit for supplying said motor with current, a circuit breaker member connected to one side of said circuit, and a second circuit breaker member conme1nbers coinnee'teid tdthe o'pposite side I of the circuit to no-r-majlly interrupt "the same 15 and arra-nged in the path of the envelops *to be actuated ther'eby t0-elose the circuit'and start the motor. I

Intestimonywhereof We'aflix our signat- -tures,' in-' the presence 0f two Witnesses."

SIGURD ANDERSON LE ONARD ANDERSGN'. I

'Witnessesv: 1 i

F G. FISCHER, L. J.-FIsc1=r-ER;

.Copiesrofsthis'patentamay he nhtai nedz fiorfive acents each, by aiddreseingathe fiommjssienei'z of Patents, 

